Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space

sabruffian · 28 Jun 2014

I am trying to overwrite a file in the free space on drive C, but it keeps telling me that it is unable to overwrite the special file type. The file name is "Thunderbird emails.zip".

When I first found it I recovered it then went back later to overwrite the emails so it would not be in my ssd drive free space. Does anyone know why this cannot be overwritten? I tried using CCleaner to erase them but wouldn't do it. I even filled up the free space with videos trying to overwrite it but no luck there either! I am trying to overwrite this without doing a secure erase on the whole drive.
Thanks for any help someone may have with this.

A Guy · 29 Jun 2014

Welcome to Seven Forums sabruffian. Do you use/have you used Recuva? It likely created that. Suggest you d/l and install Lockhunter

LockHunter is a free 64/32 bit tool to delete files blocked by any processes

Right click the file and click on the What's locking this file entry.

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space-contextmenu.png

See what's actually locking the file, you can also choose the Unlock it, then Delete it buttons. See if that works.

A Guy

sabruffian · 29 Jun 2014

Hey Guy. Thanks for your suggestion about trying Lockhunter. I installed and tried it, but I had no luck with it, because I cannot get it to see the the problem I have, because the problem is with emails that I have deleted and they are on my c/free space and so I know of no way to get L

sabruffian · 29 Jun 2014

Hey Guy. Thanks for your suggestion about trying Lockhunter. I installed and tried it, but I had no luck with it, because I cannot get it to see the the problem I have, because the problem is with emails that I have deleted and they are on my c/free space and so I know of no way to get Lockhunter to see it. Yes, Recuva is the program that has done this, and they have been no help.

Again...the file /folder is in the free space that I deleted and am trying to get rid of it securely for good. Thanks.

Callender · 29 Jun 2014

Just what are you using to view "free space" on your HD?

Maybe I'm missing something but if a file trace exists in "free space" then it's already been deleted.

Callender · 29 Jun 2014

Okay I see what you mean. You're viewing previously deleted files using Recuva.

Just wipe the free space using any third party software that can do the job.

My personal preference is to use sdelete - you can get it here:

SDelete

Copy the sdelete.exe file into your system32 directory.

It's a command line tool so to wipe free space on a drive (one pass is enough) either use software like RunCommand and use the following command line:

C:\Windows\System32\sdelete -p -1 -z -c C:

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space-run-command.jpg

Or else open an Elevated Command Prompt and type C:\Windows\System32\sdelete -p -1 -z -c C:

The switches are explained in the screenshot.

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space-sdelete-p-1-z-c-c_.jpg

Or just use "Wipe Free Space" in Ccleaner if you have it installed but it's not as thorough as Sdelete and takes much longer to complete.

sabruffian · 29 Jun 2014

OK Callender, thanks for your reply. I have tried CCleaner, it will not wipe Thunderbird emails.zip. I have tried windows cypher, it will not erase it either. I tried Erase, it will not erase that file! I even completely filled up my free space with video files thinking that would cause an overwrite....but NO, that did not overwrite it either! I will try sdelete. I would have already tried it but I thought it was for wiping a complete drive instead of just free space. Thanks.

Callender · 29 Jun 2014

After some digging I found this thread:

Problem with Recuva 1.29 and Thunderbird emails.zip - Recuva Discussion - Piriform Community Forums

Now I'm busy trying to work out why I don't find the Thunderbird Emails.zip file anywhere on my machine.

Possibly it's because I've never used Recuva to recover deleted emails - only files!

Piriform - Recovering deleted emails

Also see: How Thunderbird handles deleted messages

I tend to compact Thunderbird folders on a weekly basis. Right click a folder - say Inbox and compact it. Do the same for all other folders.

My settings aslo show the following for email deletion:

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space-tb-account-settings.jpg

In other words in order to delete old messages I log into my email account and delete them from there rather than via Thunderbird.

You might solve your problem by fully removing Thunderbird, rebooting, then wiping free space but that's just a guess. You can reinstall Thunderbird any time.

sabruffian · 29 Jun 2014

Callender, I tried sdelete just now using 1 pass of 0's. However....Thunderbird emails are still there according to Recuva. Recuva still says after trying to overwrite the file with their overwrite feature.....not overwritten.....unable to overwrite special file type. sdele kinda acts like there is nothing there to overwrite. As soon as i paste in C:\Windows\System32\sdelete -p -1 -z -c C: in the command prompt, it shows 0%. Don't know what to think of that. Any other suggestions??

Callender · 29 Jun 2014

It will show 0% for a while depending on how much data is going to be overwritten. Try leaving it running for a few minutes to see if it will move to 1%.

You did use an Elevated Command Prompt?

Is your windows partition on Drive C? If it isn't use the correct drive letter in the command line.

Elevated Command Prompt

Other suggestions are:

Empty the trashcan, and then compact the folder. Then overwrite free space.

EDIT: Also maybe consider uninstalling Recuva - as it's the program that created the file. After removal try rebooting then wiping free space. It's not guaranteed to work - just something to try.

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space

Cannot overwrite deleted emails on free space

Free Space - viewing

Wipe Free Space

Thunderbird deleted emails

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